About the Fellowship
The ZwillGen Fellow position is for attorneys who have graduated from law school (or will have by June 2025), taken the bar exam (or plan to do so before or near their start date), and are new entrants into the workforce as full-time attorneys. The Fellow position is slated to last for 12 months with a salary of $100,000-$110,000, commensurate with experience. The Fellow billable hour requirement is set low (1,200 hours per year) to enable Fellows to have time to attend regulatory or legislative hearings, meetings and events, and to leave time for pursuit of individual areas of interest, such as writing substantive articles, or meaningfully participating in working groups created by external organizations such as the Future of Privacy Forum, CDT, IAPP or other civil society organizations.
Following the 12-month Fellowship, Fellows may be invited to join ZwillGen in a full-time attorney role and/or will be provided significant assistance in finding their next position.
A strong candidate will possess
- A zeal for all things technology and have taken some relevant classes in law school on technology-related subjects such as data privacy, cybersecurity, cyber-surveillance, Artificial Intelligence, AdTech, FinTech, EdTech, copyright, mobile applications, or blockchain.
- Experience working with a technology company, privacy or civil liberties organization, or relevant regulatory agency is a plus. Although the firm does some copyright-related work, that is not the firm’s focus and candidates interested primarily in IP law are discouraged from applying.
ZwillGen Fellows work closely with ZwillGen attorneys on a variety of cutting edge and legally challenging Internet privacy, security, e-commerce, and surveillance issues. We provide counseling to our clients but also assist with litigation, FTC and State AG investigations, and data breaches. Because ZwillGen Fellows wear a variety of hats, we are looking for fellows that are not only able to provide high-quality legal analysis in a concise and cogent manner, but also who are motivated and enthusiastic, embrace a fast-paced and lively environment, and are eager to learn new things. A good sense of humor and a desire to work hard and have fun are a must. Fellows are expected to engage in client development, speaking and writing engagements, blogging, marketing, assisting with development of firm forms and precedent materials, and generally helping out around the firm.
How to apply
Qualified and interested candidates should apply here and at a minimum, submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample, and professional references. Feel free to also include something different that will make your application stand out and help demonstrate your problem-solving creativity.
Screening interviews will likely be conducted remotely, and final interviews may be conducted remotely or in person.
The deadline to submit applications is Saturday, August 31, 2024, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis before then, so we encourage early submission. Applications submitted after the deadline may still be considered at our discretion.
Typically, the program is centered in ZwillGen’s Washington, DC office. While we also maintain offices in California, New York, and Chicago, ZwillGen’s Fellowship Program is intended for candidates who are located in or willing to relocate to the Washington, DC area. Fellows will likely be expected to work in the DC office 3-4 days per week, although this requirement is subject to change depending on firm policy at the time the Fellowship begins.
